The , nicknamed ''Chipolopolo'' ("the Copper Bullets"), is the national team of
Zambia and is controlled by the
Football Association Of Zambia .
The Zambian national team endured one of the biggest tragedies in the history of sport; in
1993 a plane carrying the team
Crashed off the coast of
Gabon . 18 players were killed, along with the national coach and officials and the entire crew, 30 people in total with no survivors.
The literal translation of is "Copper Bullets". The origins of the national team nickname comes from
Copper being the chief export of Zambia; it's also related to the speedy and talented game developed by Zambians. A country with plenty of pride in being one of the traditionally large copper suppliers of the world also reserves an abundance of pride for its
Football team. In a country where poverty is widespread and times are hard, the football team of Zambia has always been something the people of the country could hold their head up about, as the ''Chipolopolo'' have been a Southern African football powerhouse for decades. In the Seoul Olympic football tournament, they even thrashed world giants
Italy to a 4-0 defeat; that afternoon,
Kalusha Bwalya scored a hat-trick and served the other goal.
In 1993 a tragedy befell the Zambian national football team. During their flight the military plane (reg: AF-319) carrying the team crashed into the ocean after taking off from , some engine problems were noted in the Zambian Air Force
Buffalo DHC-5D ). Few minutes after taking off from the second stop in Libreville, Gabon, one of the engines caught fire and failed. The pilot, who was tired from already having flown back from
Mauritius that day, then shut down the wrong engine, causing the plane to lose all power during the climb out of Libreville Airport, the plane then hit the water 500m offshore.
The entire passenger roster of 18 players and their support staff were lost in the accident, and when news of the accident reached Zambia hours later, the nation was overcome. The captain of the ''Chipolopolo'',
Kalusha Bwalya , was not aboard the ill-fated flight as he was was playing for
PSV at that time and was to make his own way from the
Netherlands to Senegal.
Having to complete its World Cup qualifiers, and with the
African Nations Cup only months away, the quickly-assembled, and inexperienced new national team were given a difficult task.
Kalusha Bwalya and his new ''Chipolopolo'' worked hard to rebuild the team. The World Cup qualifiers saw Zambia facing in
Casablanca , with only a single point required for qualification to the . The referee controversially turned down Zambian appeals for a penalty in the closing moments of the match, Zambia lost the match 1-0, and their World Cup chances lost. There have been claims of referee bias.
At the 1994 African Nations Cup, the new ''Chipolopolo'' defied all the odds, and with a free-flowing attacking style, perhaps the best Zambian football in the history of the tournament, they reached the final. Zambia met in the final, and took the lead in the first half. However, the Super Eagles equalised quickly, and scored the winner in the second half. Zambia had once again come close to achieving their goal, and fallen at the last hurdle. However, the players returned to Zambia as national heroes.
The death of a beloved national team will always be one of Zambian football's saddest moments, and the year that followed will always be remembered as a suitable tribute. However, the families of the football team members that perished have since felt that they were never fully compensated for their personal loss, and this is likely to remain unresolved. Recently, some of the victims' relatives threatened to sue governmental authorities for their lack of candour on the families' issue.
- EFFORD David Chabala (goalkeeper)
- John Soko (defender)
- Whiteson Changwe (defender)
- Robert Watiyakeni (defender)
- Eston Mulenga (midfielder)
- Derby Makinka (midfielder)
- Moses Chikwalakwala (midfielder)
- Wisdom Chansa (midfielder)
- Kelvin Mutale (striker)
- Timothy Mwitwa (striker)
- Numba Mwila (midfielder)
- Richard Mwanza (goalkeeper)
- Samuel Chomba (defender)
- Moses Masuwa (striker)
- Kenan Simambe (defender)
- Godfrey Kangwa (midfielder)
- Winter Mumba (defender)
- Patrick Banda (striker)
- 1957 to 1968 - ''Did not enter''
- 1970 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1972 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1974 - Second place
- 1976 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1978 - Round 1
- 1980 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1982 - Third place
- 1984 - ''Did not qualify''
- 1986 - Round 1
- 1988 - ''Withdrew''
- 1990 - Third place
- 1992 - Quarterfinals
- 1994 - Second place
- 1996 - Third place
- 1998 - Round 1
- 2000 - Round 1
- 2002 - Round 1
- 2004 - ''Did not qualify''
- 2006 - Round 1
